Honorable Mantle
by Batblade1.0
Summary: A post-Epilogue series. Terry McGinnis is now in his thirties and has learned the long kept secret. He has accepted his destiny and fate as Neo-Gotham's only vigilante. His life was never normal and will never be, but he can still compromise normalcy his own way.
1. Chapter 1: Questioning

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Beyond or any other incarnation of the Batman character, only my OC's. Please support the official, canonical material.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Questioning**

 **Friday, March 06th, 2054 2:42 P.M. | Neo-Gotham City**

The Batman was on patrolling the streets.

He noticed that he had an incoming call but didn't look at the caller identification. "Hello?"

"Hi, its me." The female voice answered back making him instantly grin.

"You're gonna really like the dress I bought for tonight. I just know it. You wanna guess what it looks like?"

Terry smirked. "Trust me, I know I will.

"Right, sometimes I forget who exactly I'm talking to."

"Yeah, same here." He softly chuckled.

"Hey, watch it McGinnis."

"It was a joke, you know that."

"Yes, I do." A cheerful laugh was followed by a momentary pause. "Um, Terry, could I ask you a question?"

"I already have an idea of what that is. And I'm having a hunch that you already thought of what I was gonna say anyway."

" _You got me_. Sounds like you've been pursuing a certain career a little _too_ long."

"And you already figured that I'm on-the-clock right now. But you'll find out what I have to ask soon enough."

"I'll see you later. You better take care of yourself." Dana hanged up.

Terry slowly deep exhaled. "I don't need to any deductive reasoning to find the meaning of that out."

"There was a moment of empty silence. Peaceful and calm.

"She really cares about you." Bruce's voice suddenly connected with the [Com-Link] implemented within the Batsuit and Batmobile.

The occurrence had momentarily struck Terry odd due to Bruce's permanent retirement from crime-fighting and no longer opening the passage to the Batcave or even calling his smartphone which is connected to the same satellite frequency as the Bat computer.

"Of course she does."

"That dinner reservation is in a few hours. Save your strength for tonight."

"Yeah, there's not much activity going on. At least for know anyway. I'm just gonna take one more sweep around the city before heading back. Just to be sure its clean."

"Don't take too long." Bruce disconnected.

"You got it old man." He smiled warmly.

It had not been a full week since the thirty-year-old had his late-night discussion with Amanda Waller. Although, the shock of the dark truth had soften once he had realized that he never performed those vivid cognitive scenarios, angrily confronting his crime-fighting mentor of a biological father; ending his long-term relationship with the love of his life; as well as withdrawing from his position as a part-time member of the Justice League Unlimited.

'Tonight will be a night to remember.' He smiled in hope.

* * *

 **4:56 P.M. | Wayne Manor's Den**

"I'm back." Terry deattached the iconic cowl from his face.

"I can see that. You don't have to announce it." Bruce gave him an annoyed glare as he was sitting in his chair with the cane near the crook of the seats arm.

"Nice to know that your still in a good mood." Terry opened the bottle of prescription pills and a glass of water.

"Once in a while, its a little bit nice." Bruce swallowed and exhaled.

Terry gently shook the round orange plastic container. "Almost running out. I better get it refilled later."

"Focus on that tomorrow. You have to take care of a high priority tonight."

"Your health's a high priority to." Terry took away the medicine bottle and emptied glass.

"This isn't exactly a normal date, whatever she answers determines how your relationship will either continue or crash and burn."

"I already knew that before buying the ring." The younger man rubbed his hands up and down his face in frustration.

"Terry," Bruce made direct eye contact with the younger man.

"What is it?"

"You're stubborn but so is she. Odds are it'll work out." Bruce gave a tiny, wry smile.

Terry placed his hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Thanks for the encouragement. You sure are more talkative than usual. Anything going on?"

"I'm fine." Bruce responded. "Go get dressed and pick up the ring and make no mistake." His facial features displayed a glare.

"Bat's honor." Terry began to exit the spacious area.

"And remember this: don't ask her before the appetizers, only after dessert. I don't want to be stuck with a bill that has no meaning behind it." Bruce instructed.

"Someone is getting sentimental today." Terry grinned lightly, only to be given the iconic glaring of the man who was sitting before him.

"He was only mere hours away from asking four words. Those words would determine whether or not a long-term relationship will crumble in a single instant; or unifying the possibility of the Wayne Manor again receiving the gentle touch of a woman. A loving, caring, supportive woman.

A touch that had become foreign to the premises in decades.

The chances of gaining a successor for the head of the Bat-family, in terms of moral and ethical means on Dana's answer.

Bruce Wayne himself, was silently terrified, yet at the same time completely confident there will be a positive outcome in the end.

* * *

 **6:57 P.M. | Deckards Kitchen | Neo-Gotham City**

Thankfully, he had called the three-star restaurant with time to spare.

Thankfully, he also knew the manager as an old friend of his from his earlier years as the Dark Knight of Tomorrow.

Thankfully, he was able to dress in his rather dapper black-coloured tuxedo with a white dress shirt combined with a red neck tie and pick up the name engraved circular trinket for his beloved.

'Still can't get a break from the red and black.' Terry straightened his posture.

And thankfully, she was still not sitting across from him, yet.

Minutes pass by. Restaurant patrons come and leave.

Everything is sent.

It was then he saw her, _his_ Dana.

The young Asian woman was surely a sight for sore eyes. Her figure was decorated in an hour glass form fitting V-neck, red open back halter gown with a black sash in the middle. Her left leg as well as half a pair of open-toed white high heel pumps was shown behind the knee-high slit of the dress. Her forearms were adorned by black lace sleeves, although still revealed that her delicate, manicured fingernails were painted pink. Dana's short black hair had made the pink diamond drop earrings more noticeable while firmly grasping the white clutch purse.

"Hello there, handsome." She taunted him with a seductive wink.

By the sound of Dana's tone of voice, Terry could just tell: she meant business. Personal business that is.

Terry quickly came back to his senses and blinked. "Hello there, beautiful."

He gently placed the hand of his girlfriend into own and softly pulled her chair out of her.

"Now, there's the gentleman I know." Dana smiled as her boyfriend courteously applied the seat forward with a tender amount of force.

"Sorry I'm late." Dana gave a half smile as she glided her slender finger on the touch screen of the menu tablet.

"No need for an apology." Terry sat back down.

Dana looked indecisively towards the seemingly myriad of dining options.

"Order whatever you want. Its Bruce's treat." Terry said attempting to ease her tension.

Dana looked up her with a warm smile. "How is Bruce?"

"He's doing good, even better after his surgery a few months back."

"That's great to hear. We should pay him a visit sometime." Dana replied.

"We?"

"You know, me, Max, your mom and Matt."

"Yeah, that could happen. But you know Max might end up having to take a raincheck."

Dana sighed. "Being the CEO and senior VP of Wayne Enterprises sure has its drawbacks."

"Being the chair isn't exactly a walk in the park either." Terry added.

"I know." Dana touched his warm hand.

Terry also mentioned that having his younger brother appear at the manor may interfere alongside his professional schedule as an officer employed at the Neo-Gotham Police Department as well as being a student enrolled in Neo-Gotham University majoring in social work with a minor in criminology.

He also was not certain about his mother due to AstroTech being on the verge of confirming another moon belonging to the Milky Way galaxy.

"You decide yet?" Terry stared lovingly in her black eyes and smiled.

"I'm trying to go easy on Bruce's wallet." She winked.

"Are you trying to get me in trouble with him?"

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not." She overlapped her fingers with his.

After their dinners and desserts, Terry gently instructed the woman across from him to close her eyes. "It'll only be for a couple of minutes."

Just then, Terry signaled the restaurant manager.

Melanie Walker quietly sauntered over to the table with a white plate in her hands. She lightly placed the porcelain object in front of Dana and left after lightly tapping Terry's shoulder and a thumbs-up.

"You can open them now."

Dana separated her hands from the top half of her face and raised her eyebrows in puzzlement.

The plate had been decorated with cursive lettering:

 _Please look to your right._

She glanced towards the said direction and releases a gasp in surprise.

Terry was right beside her, kneeling down on one leg. "Will you marry me?"

There was silence.

Music stopped floating in the air.

The laughter and conversations and dining of the other patrons arrived at a full halt.

Terry could feel his heart skip a beat, however kept his confidence intact somehow. He felt that at each millisecond that had passed by was an unintentional dagger poking at his heart, as Dana sat there stunned by what was presently happening. He struggled with the thought of repeating the words that had taken nearly twenty years to speak. He struggled with the thought that Bruce's words of encouragement from earlier would end in vain.

He breathed sharply. "Dana, do you want to marry me?" His voice remained steady.

Dana fought to blink away the joyous tears away from her pair of black eyes. "Yes I do." She suddenly lowered her sitting body and wrapped her arms around her beloved's neck, nearly knocking out the red velvet box out of his hands in the process. "Yes, I do. Yes, I do. Yes, I do want to marry you."

The couple sat back up in their seats.

Melanie congratulated the couple, whom in turn was invited to the engagement party and upcoming nuptials as a thank-you gift due to her assistance as the clapping from everyone else in the building ceased.

The atmosphere returned to normal.

Dana's eyes were captivated towards the dedication engraved as the outside bottom of the golden diamond ring had spelt, 'To my Dana.'

"Terry, do you remember how I wanted to ask you about something today?"

He nodded. "Ask away."

Dana went into her small purse and took out what appeared to be a circular piece of jewelry.

"Will wear this?" She stretched out her arm and opened her hand. It was a black Tungsten ring with a silver inlay and three small fragments of white diamonds centered in a straight line.

After accepting it, Terry noticed the red writing inside of it. 'Dana loves Terry'.

"Dana, you really didn't have to go through all that trouble." Terry slid the ring onto his left hand.

"I just couldn't come here empty handed."

The couple sat together holding hands until the restaurant closed for the night.

* * *

They had attempted to persuade Melanie in terms of assisting with the closing as a way to express their gratitude. She dismissed with the explanation that fine dining does not operate as such also that the pairing deserve to have their own privacy.

They blissfully depart from the building and into the pleasant nightfall hand-in-hand.

They stopped in front of Dana's car.

Terry leaned his lips forward pressing into her own before opening her car door. "I wish it tonight didn't have to end."

"Hey, its alright. You've had a long day." Dana hugged him warmly. "Not to mention that Friday nights are technically your times for monitor duty."

"So, we'll tell everyone tomorrow then?" Terry gently closed the vehicle door.

Dana nodded in agreement with warm smile before driving away.

A few minutes later now in his own car, Terry had contacted the manor via his smartphone.

When the call was picked up he continued to stare at his own engagement ring.

"Hello?"

"Bruce, its me."

"What happened Terry?" Bruce questioned sternly.

The young man smiled warmly. "She said 'yes'."

"You didn't make a mistake. That's good."

* * *

 **Thank you very much for giving this chapter a chance. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave a message in my PM box.**


	2. Chapter 2: Answering

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Beyond or any other incarnation of the Batman character, just my OC's. Please support the official canonical material.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Answering**

 **Friday, March 06th, 2054, 10:00 A.M. | Neo-Gotham City**

Dana Tan had been thinking about later calling her longtime boyfriend Terry McGinnis in anticipation of the date the couple have scheduled for that evening.

Normally, the thirty-year-old woman would be in front of her office desk, working as one of the multiple accountants within the head office quarters of the multi-national conglomerate corporation Wayne Enterprises.

However, during the night before she had received a very short call from no one other than Bruce Wayne, a man she had known for over a decade.

Within that short conversation, Bruce had instructed her to take a day of absence from her professional career as well as inviting her to come see him at Wayne Manor the following morning before the phone connection had been abruptly disconnected by the former.

Dana quickly climbed the steps reaching for the front door and pressed the intercom. "Bruce, I made it." She spoke into the speaker while the surveillance cameras displayed her face.

A moment after, the main automatic door lock system was disengaged.

Dana had arrived into the den of the large, impressive residential property.

Her vision had come across the sight of the noticeably elderly male sitting quietly in his chair while his walking cane appeared to resting on the crook of the seats arm.

"Its been a while, hasn't it?" Dana gave him a warm smile as she was taking her own seat on the large sofa near him. "How have you been?" She politely touched her hand onto his knee.

Bruce sighed in response. "I need to talk with you about something. It's a very high priority."

Her face began to wear a worried look. "What's going on Bruce? Is there something wrong with you or Terry?"

"Dana, how much do you enjoy being around Terry?"

"Where is all of this coming from?"

"Please, just answer."

Dana sighed. "I've always enjoy spending time with him very much."

"What is he like when its just you two together?"

"I know he has his faults, but he is genuinely of one the most kindhearted, generous and sweetest people anyone can ever meet, even when you can't see it at the time."

"Do you love him?"

"With all of my heart and soul." There was no instance of hesitance attached to her words.

Yet, hesitance was something in particular she had thought to never have the classic Dark Knight to display. "Dana...would you want to marry him?"

"Yes, I do."

Bruce grew quiet.

"As you already know, we have a date tonight." Dana went into her purse and held onto what could be a small object surrounded by her closed hand.

Bruce's eyes were fixated on the lightly moving closed fist.

"I'm planning to ask him to wear this." She opened hand revealing a black Tungsten ring with a silver inlay and three small fragments of white diamonds centered in a straight line. "This is an engagement ring."

The elder man's breathing had momentarily become shallow and sharp. "How much was the bill? I'll reimburse you for the payment."

Dana's black eyes had a gentle look. "Only took three months salary, another one for getting it inscribed another for getting the words in red, plus another one for the insurance."

Bruce's eyes widened. "You work for Wayne Enterprises, I know how much you make annually."

Dana placed her hand lightly on his shoulder. "Its completely paid for. I bought it a long time ago."

Bruce lightly shook her hand away from him and made direct eye contact with his piercing blue irises. "I need you to do something. Its urgent."

Dana's spine shuttered as she felt an electrifying surge of energy enter her body when he spoke his last statement. "What is it?"

"Hand your phone over." His voice continued to have a grizzled tone.

After following the demand, Bruce began to tap on the screen and gave it back the device to its respective owner. "Follow this address and tell the guards that I sent you over there. Terry doesn't have to know a thing. You need to prepare yourself for tonight. This is a very high priority."

Dana silently complied with the demand, nearly beginning to make her way out of the room. All of a sudden, the young woman had felt a hand pressed against the top of her head. "Dana, you are going to do a very good thing for a very good man."

She rotated her body to see him.

There was a tiny smile grown on Bruce's face, slightly softening his rugged features.

She softly laid her hand on the one covering the top of her scalp. "I'm doing this for me to."

* * *

 **11:47 A.M. | Outside Neo-Gotham City**

Dana continued to cautiously drive her electric car in the unfamiliar territory. Even with the assistance of the [Global Positioning System] showcasing the trail of the mysterious destination to warn of any traffic jams, unkempt road conditions or any construction sites, she could not stop theorizing of any precise reason why, Bruce Wayne of all people, would send a seemingly ordinary citizen on her way to where only he could know.

Although Dana had known the elderly man for many years now, she would never truly understand the way Terry could, but that never stopped her to deeply respect him. If Bruce told her to go where she needed to, she did it for him - but also in order to help quench her own curiosity.

The navigation system indicated that Dana had reached her respective destination.

The current residence of a woman named Amanda Waller.

As Dana began to stop her car in front of the main gate, she had been approached by multiple armed men in wearing uniforms.

She calmly lowered the window from her driver's seat. "My name is Dana Tan, I was told to come here by Bruce Wayne."

"Ah, I've been looking forward to meeting with you." A very elderly black woman with grey hair walked over to an opened glass window. "You can come out now dear." Amanda Waller spoke with a warm voice.

"Er... Yes, ma'am." Dana stumbled outside of her vehicle and walked into Waller's home.

"Would you rather be called 'Ms. Tan' or do you rather prefer 'Dana'."

"I prefer 'Dana' Miss - Miss-!"

"Waller, but you can call me 'Amanda'". The much older woman interjected.

Dana nodded in agreement.

"I have to apologize for my guards being more alert than usual. Recently, there was a break-in."

Dana lightly gasped. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh yes, the intruder was _very_ good-looking." Amanda chuckled.

"Who was he?"

"Just a young man looking for answers." Amanda replied.

* * *

Both of the women were sitting in front of each other. In between the pair was tea set accompanied by a tray of pills.

"Do you want to some green tea? I do. Its full of antioxidants, its supposed to make you live longer." Amanda offered.

"I will have one. Thank you."

"It has been many a year since I looked even remotely similar to the way you look now. Youth is beautiful gift from the Lord." Amanda sighed.

"I think you've been aging gracefully."

The old woman gestured her hand over to the medicine. "Being old is not what anyone wants to be. There's one for my blood pressure, another to replace my pituitary function...and I have one for... Oh that's right, my Alzheimer's."

"I see." Dana took a sip from her warm cup.

"Well, I've done some things that I can never be proud. If I know any better, this in a way could be the Lord's way of having me pay my dues for all the bad things I can't take back."

"Take back?" Dana asked in confusion.

"Bruce didn't tell you anything about why you're here, hasn't he? How typical."

"No."

"Before I begin. I must say you and Terry do make a beautiful couple."

"If you know about Bruce and Terry, then..." Dana's eyes widened in realization, that this woman knows the secret identities of the former and current Batman are.

Amanda nodded. "I trust that your boyfriend hasn't told you about me. He must have a bit more in common with Bruce than I thought. They would both try their hardest to keep secrets from the ones they care about for whatever reason. They really do have good hearts."

"Not to be rude. But why am I here?" Dana's black eyes were filled in anticipation. All she had expected was for the day was talk to her boyfriend about their date, get ready for it and give him a custom made engagement ring she kept secret for so long. Until that abrupt phone conversation she had with Bruce a mere twelve hours ago. If she asked for an answer of why she had go to this place to meet a woman she never heard of, she wanted -and needed- this answer. She wanted to know how it would take to get it.

Amanda Waller had sensed this particular wanting. The old woman's face was serious yet calm. Her voice was still warm and inviting. "I hope your comfortable, dear. It is quite a tale."

Dana instinctively tighten the grasp on the inscribed black engagement ring within her left palm as her right hand was holding the white tea cup.

Unware of the reason why, she felt a chill run down her spine.

Dana was going to find out about something big as well as simultaneously bewildering. She was than unaware of how the woman in front of her was in fact the one whom concocted Project Batman Beyond.

"So that is why Bruce kept his mouth shut and told me to come here. This was just a warning of what I'm getting myself into, starting tonight." Dana holds the black ring in the middle of her palm.

I hope that all that hard earned money won't go to waste now that you know about this." Amanda stretched out her hand forward to place down her empty tea cup.

"Not a chance. I didn't get this costum made from scratch for nothing. If only, it makes the question much more easier."

"Then you should go now. After all, we women can never forget how hard it is to get ready. Alzheimer's or not."

Dana placed the ring securely back in her purse with a small smile.

"The good book says: 'Love is patient, is kind. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.' I think that's something you should remember, during the goods times, but also the bad."

"Thank you very much." The younger Asian woman lightly wraps her arms around Amanda's neck.

"Dear, if there is anyone you should hug, its your very soon-to-be-fiancé."

* * *

Dana had to make a stop at a car station in order to re-energize the battery of her electric automobile. "Bruce I finished meeting with Amanda Waller."

"What did she say?" Bruce asked on the other end.

"As much as she could."

"Where are you now?"

"A little closer back to the city. I'm charging my car right now." Dana stared as the rising numbers on the screen stopped, then released the charging pump.

"Dana, are you having any second thoughts about your plan for tonight?"

Dana sat back on the drivers seat. "Why would you think that to begin with?" She inquired in a puzzled tone.

Bruce grew quiet. "I'm sorry, it just came to me."

She took the ring out from her purse holding it on her palm. "Bruce, I will be honored to be in your family."

There was another pause. "Terry is on patrol right now."

The elderly man's end had been disconnected.

After driving away from the station, she spontaneously stopped her car in a nearby parking lot.

Dana scrolled through her pictures of her boyfriend while an enclosed right fist had a loose grip making the black ring move slightly within the clenched hand as it was placed on top of her heart.

She switched from the photograph gallery application and switched to the contacts listed scrolling for her boyfriend's name. She takes a deep breath and places the phone on her ear.

"Hello?" A male voice questioned.

Hearing that made Dana's face brighten up. "Hi, it's me."

There was a little pause between both ends, yet somehow she could tell that the young man on the receiving end of the call was indirectly smiling along with her.

The female caller's lips formed a playful yet prideful smile. "You're gonna really like the dress I bought for tonight. I just know it. You wanna guess what it looks like?"

"Trust me, I know I will."

Dana gave a half smile. "Right, sometimes I forget who exactly I'm talking to."

"Yeah, same here." There was a soft laugh at the other end.

Dana rolled her pair of black eyes. "Hey, watch it McGinnis."

"It was a joke, you know that." He responsed in what sounded likea respectful tone of voice.

" _Yes, I do_." The woman gave a tiny, cheerful laugh which was followed by a momentary pause. "Um, Terry, could I ask you a question?"

 _I hope he doesn't get the idea of what I have planned for tonight._ Dana thought to herself.

"I already have an idea of what that is. And I'm having a hunch that you already thought of what I was gonna say anyway."

Dana's heart rate momentarily rose before going back to normal. She decided to keep playing along with the conversation. " _You got me_. Sounds like you've been pursuing a certain career a little too long."

"And you already figured that I'm on-the-clock right now. But you'll find out what I have to ask soon."

'What's the point of even asking him what this date is even about?' She thought silently. "I'll see you later. You better take care of yourself."

The call ended.

* * *

It had already been late in the afternoon as the thirty-year-old woman reached her two-bedroom apartment which she was sharing with her best friend Chelsea.

"Well if isn't my _schway roomie._ " The blonde woman of the same age had wearing a robe and holding onto a glass half filled with red wine, while the rim appeared to have a pink lipstick stain.

Chelsea now a up-and-coming jeweler and owner of her own private jewellery business which she was able to finance due to her trust fund, had separated from her second husband whose family owns a fashion company.

"When did you come back?" Dana asked.

"Oh, about two glasses ago."

Dana bit her lip. "How were the...proceedings going today?"

"Well, so far we agreed that I keep my car, my clothes, and my money."

"What about the house and the yacht?" Dana took a small sip of wine from her own glass.

"It's supposed to be next meeting's topics." Chelsea hiccuped.

"I thought those parts was for this meeting." Dana took the nearly emptied glass bottle from the coffee table.

"They were, but it was getting harder to focus with all of the yelling." The blonde haired female moaned, lightly pressing the opposite sides of her forehead.

"You two were fighting again?"

"Things were more mellow then the first meeting." Chelsea stretched her arms wide. "So how's your day?"

Dana took a moment to choose her words carefully. "Oh, uh...nothing major... Just got called into the office a little early, and I just thought of going for a little drive to relax."

"I hope your date goes good tonight." Chelsea gave a little smile.

"Yeah, I hope so to." Dana blushed a little.

"You know if your little idea, doesn't work out, you could..."

Dana gave her an intense glare, making her stop her remark before finishing it.

Chelsea raised her hands near her own face. "Kidding, kidding. I'm just saying that ring was not an easy project for me, considering that it was my first ones."

Dana rolled her eyes. "Paying for it wasn't an easy goal for me either."

"In my defense, your boyfriend works for Bruce Wayne and who could practically pay you back with interest in no time."

"Chels, I'm not gonna just take money from an old man regardless of who is."

"Ah, to be stubborn but sweet at the same time."

Dana throws a couch cushion targeted at her roommate's face.

They both share a light laugh together.

Chelsea then took Dana's hand. "Time to get you dolled up."

They charge into Dana's bedroom.

"By the way you never did tell me why you wanted the ring in black and the inscription in red so bad."

Dana simply shrugged off the question. "Makes for a great colour scheme."

* * *

 **6:50 P.M.**

Dana found herself once standing at a gas station after being caught up in a typical urban traffic, frustrated by how she should not have ignored the notification which indicated that the engine needed more gasoline.

The woman looked down at what she was wearing. Her hourglass figure was decorated in a form fitting V-neck, open-back red halter gown with a black sash in the middle and a knee-high slit on the left side. Her forearms were covered by black lace sleeves, but did not distract from her manicured pink fingertips. She checked if her white high-heel pumps were still looked like they were fresh from the box. Looking into the mirror she checked if her makeup had not faded yet or if her pink diamond drop earrings did not make her earlobes sag. _It's going to be fine, even if I can't make it in fifteen minutes, I can still be excused for being fashionably late._

Her hand reached for her white clutch purse and took out the ring and placed on top of her heart. _This will be a night to remember._ She smiled.

* * *

 **7:15 | Deckards Kitchen | Neo-Gotham City**

Dana was nervous but still had her confidence in full force.

This was not going to be an average dinner date in a luxurious four-and-half-star restaurant. The plan was to get Terry to wear that ring by the end. That was the only accomplishment she wanted done tonight.

That was when she saw him. She saw her Terry.

Terry knew how to dress up for a night out. The thirty-one-year-old male's wore a rather dapper black colored tuxedo, a white dress shirt and red neck tie. His black dress shoes looked freshly polished.

Dana could always tell that his piercing blue eyes would soften and had a somewhat shy grin. That look was only for her.

It was a look where she found pleasure in teasing with. "Hello there, handsome." She taunted him with a seductive wink.

Terry looked like he was trying to not blush. "Hello there, beautiful."

Then, Dana was trying not to blush as he gently held her hand watching Terry gently pull out her chair for her.

"Now, there's the gentleman I know." She smiled as her seat was pushed back with a tender amount of force.

"Sorry I'm late." Dana gave a half smile as she glided her slender finger on the touch screen of the menu tablet.

"No need for an apology." Terry sat back down.

Dana looked indecisively towards the seemingly myriad of dining options. 'I'm just getting full reading the names.'

"Order whatever you want. Its Bruce's treat." Terry said attempting to ease her tension.

'Just play along, just play along. He can't find out about today.' Dana looked up her boyfriend with a warm smile. "How is Bruce?"

"He's doing good, even better after his surgery a few months back."

"That's great to hear. We should pay him a visit sometime." Dana replied.

"We?"

"You know, me, Max, your mom and Matt."

"Yeah, that could happen. But you know Max might end up having to take a raincheck."

Dana sighed. "Being the CEO and senior VP of Wayne Enterprises sure has its drawbacks."

"Being the chair isn't exactly a walk in the park either." Terry added.

"I know." Dana touched his warm hand.

Terry also mentioned that having his younger brother appear at the manor may interfere alongside his professional schedule as an officer employed at the Neo-Gotham Police Department as well as being a student enrolled in Neo-Gotham University majoring in social work.

He also was not certain about his mother due to AstroTech being on the verge of confirming another moon belonging to the Milky Way galaxy.

"You decide yet?" Terry stared lovingly in her black eyes and smiled.

"I'm trying to go easy on Bruce's wallet." She winked.

"Are you trying to get me in trouble with him?"

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not." She overlapped her fingers with his.

Later on, the couple had finished their dinner and dessert.

"Dana, could you do me a favour?" Terry gently asked.

"What?"

"Can you just cover your eyes for a couple of minutes?"

Dana found herself confused. _He never asked me to do that before._ A moment later, she complied with the harmless demand.

She sighed. _Its been a while since I came here. He better still be in front of me when I open my eyes. I had... I still have a goal for tonight._

"You can open them now." She heard her boyfriend's voice.

Dana separated her hands from the top half of her face and raised her eyebrows in puzzlement. 'What the?'

The plate had been decorated with cursive lettering:

 _Please look to your right._

She glanced towards the said direction and releases gasps in surprise.

Terry was right beside her, kneeling down on one leg. "Will you marry me?"

There was silence.

She heard the music stop and the noise from the other restaurant patrons pause.

She knew it. All eyes were on her.

The feeling she had were momentarily ineffable. She could not tell if she what felt more - shock? Stunned? Happily ecstatic about him asking her something she thought could have taken much longer to act on? Perhaps disappointed that she did not think of him proposing to her that night the entire she was thinking of a valid reason for why he had called her that late that night?

She heard the question repeat.

"Dana, do you want to marry me?"

'Oh god, how long have I been out of it? I'm making us look like complete fools of ourselves. I made him repeat the question!' Her heart had skipped a beat.

Dana trying to fight the joyous tears away from her black eyes. "Yes, I do." She suddenly lowered her sitting body and wrapped her arms around her beloved's neck. "Yes, I do. Yes, I do, _Yes, I do_ want to marry you."

The couple sat back in their seats.

Melanie Walker, the restaurant manager and one of Terry's associates, was thanked by the couple for her assistance as well as being invited to both the engagement party and of course, the upcoming nuptials.

The atmosphere returned to normal.

Dana's eyes were captivated towards the dedication engraved as the outside bottom of the golden diamond ring had spelt, _'To my Dana.'_

'Now is as good as time as any.' Dana smiled. "Terry, do you remember how I wanted to ask you about something today?"

He nodded. "Ask away."

Dana went into her small purse and took out the circular trinket.

"Will wear this?" She stretched out her arm and opened her hand. It was a black Tungsten ring with a silver inlay and three small fragments of white diamonds centered in a straight line. The inscription was written in red colouring read, _'Dana loves Terry'._

"Dana, you really didn't have to go through all that trouble." Terry slid the ring onto his left hand.

"I just couldn't come here empty handed."

The couple sat together holding hands until the restaurant closed for the night.

They had attempted to persuade Melanie to help with the closing as a way to express their gratitude. She dismissed with the explanation that fine dining does not operate as such also that the pairing deserve to have their own privacy.

They blissfully depart from the building and into the pleasant nightfall hand-in-hand.

* * *

They stopped in front of Dana's car.

Terry leaned his lips forward pressing into her own before opening her car door. "I wish it tonight didn't have to end."

"Hey, its alright. You've had a long day." Dana hugged him warmly. "Not to mention that Friday nights are technically your times for monitor duty."

"So, we'll tell everyone tomorrow then?" Terry gently closed the vehicle door.

"Maybe later than that." Dana nodded in agreement with warm smile before driving away.

She reached her apartment, discovering the lights been turned off. Taking off her shoes, Dana tiptoed into her bedroom.

The makeup was removed. Her dress and accessories were taken off. A blue nightgown was put on.

She could not resist the urge to place the golden diamond ring on top of her heart.

Dana reached for her cellphone, scrolling through the contact list and waited for the call to be answered.

"Hello?"

"Bruce, its me."

"What happened Dana?" He questioned sternly.

"I said 'yes'."

There was a pause at the other end. "That's good. Welcome to the family."

* * *

 **Thank you very much for reading this chapter. Please leave a review, any amount of criticism is really appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3: Supporting

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Beyond or any other incarnation of the Batman character, just my OC's. Please support the official canonical material.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Supporting**

 **Thursday, March 05th, 2054, 11:30 P.M. | Wayne Manor Den**

"So that's your plan for tomorrow evening?" Bruce sat in his favourite chair and looking at the young man in sitting across from him, with a bowl of soup and a plate of toast.

"That's what I'm calling it." Terry replied. "Why don't like it?"

Bruce glared in response. "I didn't say that."

Terry took the empty dishes into the kitchen to wash them before returning to the room with an orange bottle containing prescription medication. "How did you learn to make soup like that?"

"Pennyworth family recipe." Bruce muttered in response.

"Are you feeling alright?" Terry raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"I'm fine." Bruce grumbled, not making any eye contact.

"Even if you weren't you'd still wouldn't tell me until its too late."

Bruce said nothing back and just took his medicine.

There was silence for a mere moment.

"Well, looks like things are good around here. I'll be heading out now."

"You're leaving already?"

Terry stretched his stiffening arms and neck. "Yeah, I'm beat. I had to take my weekly visit to the office to authorize some file work, but I might have to again tomorrow."

"Terry?" Bruce sounded like he was about to ask something.

The young man turned as heard his name from behind.

"What?"

"That dinner is tomorrow."

Terry nodded. "Like I said before."

"I'll pay for it."

"Wait, what?" The younger man looked surprised, perhaps a bit more than he should have.

"You heard me." Bruce continued to wear the same scowl on his face.

"It's one of the highest rated places around the city." Terry began to explain.

"What's your point?"

"Nothing, it's just that you don't normally do that sort of thing...Any hidden agenda or trick up your sleeve."

"I'm only doing it because it's a very high priority." Bruce then took his cane and began walking out of the living area. "Don't come back until the morning."

Terry had a warm smile on his face as he saw the old man leaving in front of himself. "Good night to you to."

* * *

 **11:47 P.M | Bruce's bedroom**

Bruce Wayne was never really a fan of redecorating nor did he ever really care. Although he lived inside a place of residence the common folk would almost immediately categorize as 'extraordinary', the owner would decorate every room in the manor would be simple - almost plain, aside from the decor being rather costly for any average person.

The ninety-five-year-old man was laying in his bed, having difficulty entering a nightly slumber.

Finally, after tossing and turning he decided to switch to a propped up bodily position.

 _Dana needs to know._ Bruce extended his arm to reach for the smartphone on the night table beside him.

He immediately entered in the password unlocking the device, then going through his contact list to dial the number.

The elderly man paused momentarily. His piercing blue eyes appear to be staring at the woman's name. There was no realization of that until the phone's screen had turn black. He sighed, unlocking his password again, staring back at the name of the screen.

He finally tapped his finger on the phone call option.

Bruce took a deep breath and cleared his throat. He already knew what to say.

The call was picked up.

"Dana, its Bruce... Don't say anything, just listen to me. I need you to call in sick in the morning. Come to the manor at 10 AM so we can talk face-to-face. I will not take 'no' for an option. It will just be between us and no one else, you have my word. This is a very high priority."

Bruce disconnected. He had not used the voice of his alter-ego in many years, yet, it felt like just the right tone to express those words.

He placed the smartphone back on the night table and laid down once again.

"Tomorrow is going to feel like a very long day." Bruce muttered to himself sotto voce.

The elderly man had entered a state of suspended consciousness.

* * *

Bruce was sitting in his favourite chair in the den.

His piercing blue eyes were fixated on the antique grandfather clock.

It was nearly ten o'clock in the morning.

Dana was going to be at the main gate of the private living residence within any moment.

The timing could not have been any more perfect.

Terry had exited the infamous Batcave to go the head office of Wayne Enterprises, where he plays the role of the chairman of the multi-national conglomerate corporation, since Bruce had permanently retired from participating in the worlds of both crime-fighting and business. When Terry was off becoming occupied with playing the role of the Batman, the responsibilities would go to the senior vice-president, and CEO and longtime ally, Maxine Gibson.

Bruce on the other hand, was waiting, patiently and quietly.

The elderly man already knew what questions he was going to ask. Not that he needed to second guess any of them. That was either his keen sense of judgment, or his level of conceit. On a personal level, he didn't really care. In the end, it was all about getting the outcome no matter what. That was how he managed everything in his life. But those years of being that deep-voiced, self-appointed, brooding vigilante who made crime and injustice his own personal vendetta were now very far behind him. Far enough to make him wonder how he had managed to have lived so long, how he still able to exist. He was well aware of how much time had gone passed, it was fact. It was a total of thirty-five years.

Terry McGinnis, was once a smart-mouth boy in high school with immeasurable potential. Suddenly he became the second Batman, now in his fifteenth year of continuing the mantle of Dark Knight's activity against crime.

Bruce was proud of him. That was a fact.

Terry had finally made the decision to ask for his longtime girlfriend, Dana Tan's, hand in marriage. That was also a fact.

The old man repeatedly tapped his foot slowly against the floor.

Then he heard a feminine voice come through the intercommunication system. "Bruce, I made it."

Seeing her face via the surveillance cameras, he disengaged the main automatic door system.

It took a couple of minutes for her to come over to him.

"Its been a while, hasn't it?"

He observed how the thirty-year-old woman had smile warmly towards him as she was taking her own seat on the large sofa near him.

"How have you been?" She politely touched her hand onto his knee.

Bruce exhaled. "I need to talk with you about something. It's a very high priority."

The old man noticed how her face instantly when from cheery to worried. _She really has no clue about today, does she?_

"What's going on Bruce? Is there something wrong with you or Terry?"

"Dana, how much do you enjoy being around Terry?"

"Where is all of this coming from?"

"Please, just answer."

He heard Dana release a sigh. "I've always enjoy spending time with him very much."

"What is he like when its just you two together?"

"I know he has his faults, but he is genuinely of one the most kindhearted, generous and sweetest people anyone can ever meet, even when you can't see it at the time."

"Do you love him?"

"With all of my heart and soul." There was no instance of hesitance attached to her words.

 _That's encouraging._ Bruce thought.

Yet, hesitance was something in particular she had thought to never have the classic Dark Knight to display. "Dana...would you want to marry him?"

"Yes, I do."

Bruce grew quiet. _So its settled, if I have to send her to Waller. I need to do it now._

"As you already know, we have a date tonight." Dana went into her purse and held onto what could be a small object surrounded by her closed hand.

Bruce's eyes were fixated on the lightly moving closed fist.

"I'm planning to ask him to wear this." She opened hand revealing a black Tungsten ring with a silver inlay and three small fragments of white diamonds centered in a straight line. "This is an engagement ring."

 _This isn't just an ordinary ring from a catalog. It looks too specific. It has to be made from scratch._ The elder man's breathing had momentarily become shallow and sharp. "How much was the bill? I'll reimburse you for the payment."

He stared at how Dana's pair of black eyes gave off a considerate vibe. "Only took three months salary, another one for getting it inscribed another for getting the words in red, plus another one for the insurance."

'Red inscription?' His vision narrowed on the inside. The words were written in cursive, as a whole message it said _Dana loves Terry_.

Bruce's eyes widened. "You work for Wayne Enterprises, I know how much you make annually."

Dana placed her hand lightly on his shoulder. "Its completely paid for. I bought it a long time ago."

Bruce lightly shook her hand away from him and made direct eye contact with his piercing blue irises. "I need you to do something. Its urgent."

Dana's body looked there a chill going down her spine when he spoke his last statement. "What is it?"

"Hand your phone over." His voice continued to have a grizzled tone.

After following the demand, Bruce began to tap on the screen and gave it back the device to its respective owner. "Follow this address and tell the guards that I sent you over there. Terry doesn't have to know a thing. You need to prepare yourself for tonight. This is a very high priority."

Bruce saw the woman nearly beginning to make her way out of the room. Perhaps it was just a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing, when he pressed his hand that was covering the top of her head. "Dana, you are going to do a very good thing for a very good man."

She rotated her body to see him.

There was a tiny smile grown on Bruce's face, slightly softening his rugged features.

She softly laid her hand on the one covering of his. "I'm doing this for me to."

And like that Dana was on her way to a mysterious location.

 _She'll be fine. I trust her._ A half smile grew on Bruce's face as he sat back down next to his phone.

 _Time to make another call._ Bruce tapped his finger on the contact labeled as "Amanda Waller".

"Hello?" An elderly woman answered.

"Hello, Amanda."

"Bruce? Its been so long since we've last spoken. How are you?"

"I'm fine." Bruce grumbled.

"Why are you calling me?" Amanda asked.

"I need you to do me a favour."

"I'm all ears."

"I have an associate who is on her way to come see you. Her name is Dana Tan."

"An associate of yours? To what do I owe the pleasure?" The woman sounded intrigued.

"She's Terry's girlfriend. I need you to tell her everything. The same things you told him. Terry is planning to propose tonight, but so is she. Neither of them know about each other's plans. I'd like to keep it that way."

"I see. Why couldn't you just tell her yourself, instead of the poor dear having to come all the way out to see me without knowing a single thing?" Amanda inquired.

"I can't tell her because you're the only one left that has all the details."

"I see."

"Take care of her." He requested.

"I will."

"Goodbye, Amanda."

Goodbye, Bruce."

Bruce hung up the phone. _Its only matter of time._

* * *

The elderly man had gotten used to his routine after becoming permanently retired.

His days usually passed by with him scrolling through touchscreen tablets reading online newspaper articles trying to keep up with the current events of the outside world.

Bruce Wayne knew too many things to make time for hobbies in the past After all, being a detective, a pilot, an escape artist, a billionaire, knowing over a hundred forms of martial arts, being a polyglot and having a myriad of advanced formal education degrees and some more scholarly credentials to a lesser extent, living the quiet life could get, dull. Although, it was dull _but_ comfortable.

 _Maybe I should have given her money to charge her car battery._ Bruce thought to himself before his phone vibrated.

"Bruce I finished meeting with Amanda Waller." He heard Dana's voice on the other end.

"What did she say?" Bruce asked.

"As much as she could."

"Where are you now?" He continued to question her.

"A little closer back to the city. I'm charging my car right now." Dana replied.

Bruce exhaled slowly while the grip on his phone grew tighter. "Dana, are you having any second thoughts about your plan for tonight?"

"Why would you think that to begin with?" She inquired in a puzzled tone.

Bruce grew quiet and loosened the grip. "I'm sorry, it just came to me."

"Bruce, I will be honored to be in your family."

There was another pause, he could tell that she meant it and that she was smiling. "Terry is on patrol right now."

Bruce ended the phone call.

He waited a few minutes.

He decided to give Terry a call using the secret application Max had programmed into his smartphone which is connected to the same satellite frequency in the Batcave.

"She really cares about you." Bruce spoke into the phone.

"Of course she does."

"That dinner reservation is in a few hours. Save your strength for tonight."

"Yeah, there's not much activity going on. At least for know anyway. I'm just gonna take one more sweep around the city before heading back. Just to be sure its clean."

"Don't take too long." Bruce disconnected.

* * *

 **4:56 P.M. | Wayne Manor's Den**

"I'm back." Terry detached the iconic cowl from his face.

"I can see that. You don't have to announce it." Bruce gave him an annoyed glare as continue to sit in his chair.

"Nice to know that you're still in a good mood." Terry opened the bottle of prescription pills and a glass of water.

"Once in a while, its a little bit nice." Bruce swallowed and exhaled.

He observed the younger man as he gently shook the round orange plastic container. "Almost running out. I better get it refilled later."

"Focus on that tomorrow. You have to take care of a high priority tonight."

"Your health's a high priority to." Terry took away the medicine bottle and emptied glass.

"This isn't exactly a normal date, whatever she answers determines how your relationship will either continue or crash and burn."

"I already knew that before buying the ring." The younger man rubbed his hands up and down his face in noticeable frustration.

"Terry," Bruce made direct eye contact with him.

"What is it?"

"You're stubborn but so is she. Odds are it'll work out." Bruce gave a tiny, wry smile.

Terry placed his hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Thanks for the encouragement. You sure are more talkative than usual. Anything going on?"

"I'm fine." Bruce responded. "Go get dressed and pick up the ring and make no mistake." His facial features still displayed a glare.

"Bat's honor." Terry began to exit the spacious area.

"And remember this: don't ask her before the appetizers, only after dessert. I don't want to be stuck with a bill that has no meaning behind it." Bruce instructed.

"Someone is getting sentimental today." Terry grinned lightly, only to be given the iconic glaring of the man who was sitting before him.

Bruce was silently terrified by the possibility that Dana could reject Terry, but out of fear, due to hear just learning about the existence of [Project Batman Beyond].

This was the night that could change not just the lives of the respective couple, but his own as well.

However, Bruce could not help but think and feel that the manor in which he dwells within will once again have of the loving, caring and supportive touch of a woman, only under the condition that the couple make the desicion to move in. It was something that had become foreign to the estate for eighty-seven years.

And all that the elderly man could do, was sit and wait.

* * *

It was hours since he's last spoken to either Terry and Dana.

Kent even called the manor to ask how Terry's assistance with monitor duty at the Metro Tower will turn out, only to have Bruce advise to figure out that question for himself prior to abruptly hanging up as usual.

Finally, he had gotten one of the calls he'd had been stoically anxious for. "Hello?" He answered.

"Bruce, its me." The voice at the other end, and he sounded pleased, happy.

"What happened Terry?" Bruce questioned him sternly.

There was a little pause after.

 _He's smiling. This is good._ Bruce silently thought.

"She said 'yes'." Terry sounded proud.

Bruce sighed. It was a great relief. "You didn't make a mistake. That's good."

Before ending his call, Terry had informed him that he was on his way to the JLU's headquarters for his weekly monitor supervision duty and not to wait up for him.

* * *

It was almost an hour later when the newly-engaged Dana had made her expected call.

Thankfully, the elderly mansion dweller was more than an exceptional character actor in his of crime-fighting before his ending years as a classic Dark Knight when he nearly forgot who Bruce Wayne was as that name was nearly a cover for what he - or what concept he thought - he only was until his first retirement.

Bruce was happy about hearing the news. But being as experienced as he is in terms brooding and stoicism, the rugged features hadn't changed - especially since he was by himself. Even though, it was merely an act for the phone conversation.

"Hello?" His tone of voice remained the same.

"Bruce, its me." Dana greeted herself.

"What happened Dana?" The question was asked with identical seriousness.

"I said 'yes'."

Bruce could not help but pause for the moment. He had formed a little surrogate 'family' of his own so very long ago. Yet, this felt different, -much, much different.

When that 'family' was created, it was strictly for crime-fighting and making sure that everyone, Dick, Tim, Barbara, and by extension Commissioner James Gordon, Selina Kyle. Then, of course, his legal guardian and most trusted ally Alfred, had always been there until his timely passing.

Batman always tried to keep things under wraps whenever it involved his concern for everyone he cared for, until it all started to crumble bit by bit as things were developing to get personal - for Bruce Wayne. An identity that was only just a cover. It was nothing but a charming, arrogant masking pseudo personality for the benefit of the public eye, shielding the true near-psychotic complexity that laid within his mind.

That family he had created as the Batman had long since parted ways to move on with their own lives. He never blamed them. He understood why they had conflicted feelings towards him.

It was many years later until he had a guard dog named Ace. Then, one day, along came a young high school boy by the name of Terry McGinnis, and later on met and began to trust Maxine Gibson.

Eventually, being the excellent detective he was, Bruce discovered their true relationship, but thought it best that Terry should find out on his own. Terry was his own man after all. Terry's first reason for stealing the final Batsuit was to avenge his father Warren's death. Bruce never met the man, although, he had a great deal of respect towards the late Mr. McGinnis for raising both Terry and Matt has if they were his own children.

Now, with that revelation, Bruce had found a type of connection he had never expected - a biological one - even better - two biological relations.

Terry had proposed to Dana that night.

Dana agreed to Terry's hand in marriage and also gave him an engagement ring of his own.

Bruce was finally going to have an actual family. It was not a family whose bonds were connected - but also disbanded due to the goal of keeping their beloved Gotham city free from villainy and Bruce's struggle to carry familiar ties, only to gain any form of reconciliation after multiple decades. It was one that was bonded by either biological ties or martial union.

Bruce felt the need to express his feelings about these new developments going on. He knew how to keep his feelings subtle, although his piercing blue eyes were definitely moistened with hopeful musing.

"That's good. Welcome to the family."

* * *

 **Thank you very much for giving this chapter a chance. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave a message in my PM box. Please leave a review, any amount of criticism is really appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4: Engagement Soirée Part 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Beyond or any other incarnation of the Batman and other DC characters, just my OC's. Please support the official canonical material.  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Engagement Soirée**

 ***Flashback starts*  
**

 **March 12th, Thursday, 7:00 PM | Tan Household | Neo-Gotham City**

Dana and her father Stephen, were about to be having one of their weekly dinner sessions.

It had been six days since the couple's proposal at the restaurant.

The party to celebrate the pledge to marriage was coming closer.

There were a lot of people coming over to Max's place of residence for the event.

But there was one person that Dana wanted to invite in-person and without an invitation that was sent electronically to many computer screens.

The two were sitting together in the living room before dinner was ready.

Dana was hiding her left hand to prevent the exposure of the golden diamond ring.

"Dad," she took a deep breath and showed the trinket on the third finger of her left hand. "Terry and I are getting married. We got engaged last week. There's going to be a party on Saturday, I know its a bit last minute, but can you-?!"

"No." Her father interrupted before letting her finish.

"W-what?" Dana stuttered.

"I can't allow you to marry that man."

Dana clenched her teeth. "He's paid his dues. He's been a changed man for _years_ now."

Stephen furrowed his eyebrows. "He was a _criminal_ and he will always have a record. I should've _forbade_ you from seeing him since the very beginning."

"Being with him was _my_ decision."

Stephen began to raise his voice. "Yes, a very foolish one!"

"It was still mine!"

"You were too young to make that choice! You've stayed with for all this time, and now he decides that he wants to get married? He does not deserve you. You could have broken up easily and started something else with someone with more taste and a real moral code. But you threw that _all_ away to that _dreg_!"

"He has his own personal reasons. My heart made me stay with him for all this time! That is none of your business. He's not some dreg Dad! He's done _so much_ good in ways that you would've never expected. And for the last time, his name is Terry McGinnis! He is my soulmate and the man I am going to marry! I'm going to stay with him for the rest of my life no matter what!"

In the spur of the heated moment, Dana stormed out and slammed the door behind her.

 ***Flashback ends***

* * *

 **(Present Day) | March 14th, Friday, 1:00 P.M. | Maxine "Max" Gibson's Private Villa | Neo-Gotham City**

"And that's another reason why I just had to come here." Dana concluded her retelling of that night.

"I knew that your dad had issues with Terry since forever, but that was...intense." Max patted her back.

Dana scoffed. "Believe me, if I haven't slipped out quickly it would've been worse."

Max nodded. "I can picture that."

"I don't know why, but I thought that giving him the news would somehow change his opinion. What was I even thinking? Maybe I waited too long to tell him?"

"I don't think it could've made any difference even if you told him the night of."

Dana sighed. "Maybe your right."

"Dana, you did the right thing by telling him in the first place, even if it took time."

"Now, I'm regretting it."

"But you don't regret saying to Ter that you'll marry him?"

"Of course not."

"Then, you can't feel guilty about what your dad thinks of your bo-! I mean fiancé... My bad, I'm still trying to get used to that..."

Dana sniffled, then wiped her eyes and started to smile while looking at her ring. "You're not the only one." As per usual, she placed the ring on the top of her heart.

Max gave a satisfied smile. "You're thinking of him aren't you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Dana, that's the third time you've held your ring so close since you came in here." Max explained.

"It is?" Dana looked surprised while a luminescent hue appeared on her face.

"Dana, you and Ter have the best relationship out of all our friends."

Dana grew quiet for a minute. "Yeah, I guess we just got lucky."

Max shook her head in disagreement. "Not lucky, _blessed_."

"Blessed? That's a word sounding kinda weird coming from you."

"Hey, when you know its there, you have to call it out."

Max no longer sported her trademark pink-dyed pixie haircut, but now a graduated bob hairstyle with her natural black hair colour. She now works as the senior vice-president and chief executive officer for Wayne Enterprises and oversees all company activity while chairman Terry McGinnis becomes preoccupied with his responsibilities as Batman.

Max was in the final stages of her divorce with fourth generation military personality, second Lieutenant Marcus Porter III of the United States Army. It was still amicable, yet due to her almost ex-husband's status in the Armed Forces and demands of both their professional careers, the custody negotiations regarding the well-being of their five-year-old son, Lionel has yet to be finalized.

Dana was also present in the former family home because Max was in need of assistance with preparing for the engagement party.

"You know, you worked really hard to get ahead of the game. Are you going to miss after you sell this place?" Dana moved another box into the storage room.

"I used to think about that a lot, but now I don't remember having that many great memories here." Max poured champagne in a pair of glasses for the two of them. "Then I got used to the idea of downsizing pretty quick." She took a sip the golden liquid.

"Won't it feel weird moving into an apartment?" Dana continued to make small talk.

"It could. But I just want my son to live somewhere - you know...cozy."

"I get that."

Max took a minute to sit back down on the sofa. "This is a beautiful place, but it just wasn't for our family." She leaned her body backwards. "I never thought I'd be a single mom. I'm scared about him feeling that he's on the bottom of my priority list. I don't ever want him to feel the same way I felt when my parents split." She felt tears beginning to appear in front of her black irises.

Dana rested her hand on Max's shoulder. "Its not going to be easy, but you have us to help out." She gave the other woman encouraging smile.

Max sat up in her seat. "This divorce has been going on for years. Everything just feels so...heavy. Work is tough but parenting is a whole other thing, even with all the help my mom's gonna give."

All of a sudden, the mother of the pair felt the soft impact of a couch cushion hit her face. "Ow." Max groaned.

"Look on the bright side. Its the weekend now. Your kid's gonna be on spring break for the next week."

Max scoffed at Dana's words. "You're not the one who has work following her back home, little Miss Accountant."

"Well excuse me for trying to cheer you up." Dana once again hit her longtime friend with the same mini pillow.

"Cheer me up or mess up my hair?" Max fastly grabbed another cushion and targeted towards Dana however the pillow slipped from her hand and landed over to the opposite side of the room causing a vase to break.

"How important was that?" Dana went into the utility closet to bring the robotic vacuum cleaner.

"Forget about that thing," Max rolled her eyes. "Marcus' mom found it in her attic and decided to dump it here."

After the vase incident Max went off to pick up her son when the school hours were over leaving Dana behind at the house.

She was alone until her fiancée came by as a surprise for helping the two women pack more keepsakes into moving boxes before the party scheduled for the next day.

The couple was sitting on the couch. Dana was cuddled up in Terry's lap.

"I just love the way the ring looks on you. Its better than I imagined." Dana pressed her lips onto his. "Hard earned creds, very well spent."

Terry gave a half smile. "If I knew about you having a ring made to put on me, I would've gotten you a better one." His index finger traced the outline of the golden coloured trinket with the single diamond.

"I love it." Dana smiled as the image of the inscription reading, 'To My Dana' appeared in the back of her mind.

Dana gently smoothed her own index finger over the straight line made from the three tiny diamonds centered with the black Tungsten ring. "I can keep more than one secret at a time." She lightly pressed her lips onto his right cheek and nuzzled against it, causing Terry to have an open smile revealing the top section of his teeth and briefly closing his right eye.

They playfully rub their noses side to side and press their lips together.

"And that's what happens after people get engaged." The sound of Max's voice suddenly met with their eardrums.

The couple put their lovey-dovely episode to a halt as the saw one of their dearest friends standing at the doorway, holding up her smartphone with the possibility of either recording a video or taking a picture while her five-year-old kindergartner son paying attention to his own cellular device.

"Ah, little Miss Accountant and the Company Model. You make such a great couple."

"When are you going to stop calling me that?" Terry have a half annoyed look.

"Maybe after when you start going into your office more than once a week."

"Where do you want these?" Terry pointed a small pile of cardboard boxes.

Max gave a playful grin. "There's no need to worry about him watching. He's more into his phone games than anything."

She then patted her son's shoulder. "Lionel, what do you say to your Uncle Terry and Aunt Dana?"

The black haired boy did not look away from the screen of the phone. "My mom wants you to be together forever."

"We already know that kid." Dana responded, giving Max a playful wink.

Max placed her hands on her hips. "That was not what I had in mind."

"Can I have a snack?" Lionel momentarily lifted his black eyes and back to his phone.

"You can, after you say 'Hello' like a proper young man should greet others."

The five-year-old boy unwillingly lowered his hands removing the electronic device from his frontal vision. "Hi." He waved his free hand in rather unenthusiastic manner.

"So how was school today?" Dana attempted to make small talk.

The boy only shrugged in response.

"Lionel, your godmother just asked you a question. You _should_ answer it with your _words_ , nicely."

Lionel looked up at Dana. "It was boring."

Terry scratched the back of his head thinking of a way to contribute to the conversation. "Yeah, school can feel like that sometimes. The important thing is that you keep going and make good grades."

Terry checked the text message he had gotten.

It was from Max who was standing in the same room:

 **[That sounds a little unfair coming from you.]**

After reading that, Terry simply glared at the mother who was stifling a small laugh.

"What's your favourite part?" Dana tried to continue the talk forward.

"The getting to finally leave part." Lionel returned his focus back at the screen.

Max placed a small plate which had two fruit skewers with a side of plain yogurt and a glass of water. "Snack's ready."

Dana and Terry had left the residence due to a dinner reservation made by the couple.

Lionel sat at the kitchen table. "I'm tired. I'll just eat this in my room." He took the tray with the glass as he began to leave the kitchen.

"Let me know if you need any help with your homework." Max called out, only to receive silence in return.

* * *

 **Saturday, March 15th, 2054, 12:00 P.M. | Neo-Gotham City**

Terry and Bruce were on their way to the respective party.

"If you won't tell me at the manor, you could at least tell me here." The younger man tried to make small talk with the much older man in the passenger seat.

"Might I ask what?" Bruce played along as if he really did not know what the topic of discussion was.

Terry rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You know what. I've been asking this question for _days_. Now did you know that Dana was going to give me this ring or not?"

Bruce simply shrugged his shoulders. "Why do you want to know so bad? That night is over. It wouldn't have made any difference if she hadn't give it to you."

The thirty-year-old sighed. "We both know that. It's just that... I'm still flattered that she did in the first place. Plus, it looks better then the one I gave her."

Bruce gave him a look. "It's not the appearance of the item that matters, it's the thought and meaning behind it."

"Well, she was obviously a lot more thoughtful about my ring than I was with hers."

"She agreed to the proposal. That's the thought and meaning that really counts."

Terry nearly took his concentration away from the road. "I guess you're right. Make sure you tell me when you start to feel uncomfortable or out of place. Got it old man?"

The ninety-five-year old senior went quiet for the moment. "This is one of your days. I don't need any of the attention, not even from you and don't have Dana or anyone else for the matter, hovering over me."

Terry smiled. "I can't control Dana whenever she's around you. She likes you too much. Lord knows why."

"Will it hurt her to like me a little less?"

"Might I ask _why,_ you'd be asking something that?"

Bruce gave a slight glare. "I shouldn't have to tell to keep focused while driving."

* * *

As time went slowly passed on, there was more guests.

Among these invited guests were of course, Terry's younger brother Matt and his mother, Mary

Terry spotted to his brother entering inside.

Matt was now twenty-two-years-old. He was in nearing the end of his final undergraduate year as a social work major with a minor in criminology at Neo-Gotham University and was currently in his fourth year employed as an officer a part of the Neo-Gotham City Police Department.

"That whistle makes you look like a sports ref." Terry spoke in a teasing voice.

Matt's face showed him off as to becoming defensive. "Hey if cops from back in the day could pull it off, then why can't I?" The younger brother had on a silver-coloured thunderer whistle attached to a white polyester lanyard around his neck.

Terry was about to answer back however the older brother could no longer resist the urge of his piercing blue eyes becoming drawn to Matt's arm cast.

Matt had realized this due to the sudden pause of their conversation. "Relax Terry, its not as bad as it looks."

"Really? It wouldn't say so."

"Trust me. It's totally schway. It's helping with the ladies." The college student let out a sheepish grin.

Terry smirked. "Good, so you I don't have to worry about _this_." Having the noticeable larger body, he gets Matt in a headlock position and messes with the younger man's pompadour quiff hairstyle.

Matt was trying hard not to laugh as he did like it whenever the two would spend some quality time together. "Hey, cut it out!" He patted on Terry's lower back while still in the same headlock.

A few moments later, the older brother complied with the demand to release him.

Matt took a deep breath, as his face had gotten slightly red. "Seriously, without you there it would've been worse then just a fractured arm. Even Babs said so. She was all like, 'Listen McGinnis if you dare to come back until its healed and I'll make sure your sabbatical is permanent'."

The two brothers heard the voice of an older woman coming from behind them. "I'm _still not joking_."

The younger man turned around to face her and chuckled nervously. "Yes, ma'am. I should be back on the force in about a month."

Barbara Gordon was now in her octogenarian years. There has not been much change towards her physical appearance expect for the natural decrease in height and extra facial wrinkles.

Bruce slowly made his approach towards the forming group. "You've been retired for years now and can still run things behind the scenes, can't you Barb?"

Barbara gave a light smile towards her former leader. "Only semiretired Bruce."

"You're looking nice these days." Bruce said trying to appear more friendly, mainly to make an effort to become more comfortable with his surroundings, yet he continued to hide that he felt terribly out of place in the midst of the happy occasion.

"Wish I could say the same for you. At least I still have my hair." Barbara jokingly poked at his arm holding his walking cane.

"Ouch, better walk faster for cover, right Bruce?" Matt laughed.

Bruce gave the college student a glimpse of his iconic glare from back in the day. Then he turned his attention back to Barbara. "I'm sorry about what happened to Sam."

Even after all the years of reconciliation, it was most of the time a task to figure out how sincere the former Dark Knight would sound, but Barbara knew it was genuine.

The old woman nodded. "Don't be. It was his time to go. It was nice while it lasted."

She turned to Terry, with a warm smile. "I hope that you and your girl stay as long as we have, married I mean. She's already got you pinned you down for fifteen years, even through the rough patches. She's a keeper all right."

Terry blushed. "Actually, its more closer sixteen years now." He politely corrected her. "But you're right. She is a keeper."

Barbara observed his engagement ring. "Of course you'd already know." She placed her hand gently on his shoulder.

* * *

Dana walking around the increasing amount of people. Not everyone that came inside Max's home were considered immediate family.

They were coworkers from Dana's office, board of directors members, department heads, stock holders, key holders, friends from the couple's high school and college days. There were even business associates that Max had no choice but to invite. After all, Terry was a still public figure, due to his position of being the chairman at such as widely known conglomerate company like Wayne Enterprises, and not having would certain people present would just be a plain, bad move. Not making them guests would put not only Terry's and Max's respect on the line, but could also influence the way they could see the company's prioritizes its social standings.

Dana had been in these types of functions before, but now it meant something much different. Before, she was only introduced as being a girlfriend. That title was simply an example of what Terry looks for in a romantic partner. Now, she is a fiancé, a title in which she has transitioned to being an example if a person someone who now becoming a wife. In Dana's case, a wife whose husband has access to unconfirmed amounts of wealth. Even when she herself came from an affluent family.

Dana wanted to make sure Bruce was alright he she understands to an extent of how he out of place he might be feeling at the moment or if he needed help opening the prescribed pill bottle she reminded him to bring multiple times. She couldn't help herself.

The engaged woman sighed. She looks around and saw two of her close friends, Max and Chelsea, together standing together in the corner of the spacious, nearly crowded living room. There was a small table, with a tall and rather expensive looking bottle of red wine in between two glasses.

She walked over to them. "Mind if I have a sip?"

Max and Chelsea glance at over at the bride-to-be and then move the glasses and bottle closer to the wall behind them.

"Sorry, but anyone named 'Dana' or anyone engaged isn't allowed." Chelsea winked.

"Plus you don't know the password." Max followed.

"Hey, what are you two going on about?"

Max took a sip from her lipstick stained glass. "No offense Dana, but this is a very exclusive club."

Chelsea was pouring herself another. "Totally exclusive. So you and that ring of yours better move along onto the crowd."

Dana raised an eyebrow. "Exclusive club? What for?" She placed her hands on her hips.

Max sighed and gestured her hand towards Chelsea. "Go ahead."

Chelsea rolled her blue eyes. "We're comparing our D-I-V-O-R-C-E-S."

Dana shook her head at what she just heard. "You can't be serious."

Max smirked. "That's just not all we're doing."

Dana furrowed her eyebrows. "What else is there?"

The blond haired woman chuckled. "We're telling each other what kind of guys to be careful about."

Max raised a pointer finger. "Military royalty."

Chelsea raised two fingers. "Musician and investment banker."

Dana moved her head side-to-side once more. "Do I even have to ask how this all started?"

Max was adding a bit more of the wine to her glass. "It was easy. Turns out we had the same lawyer."

"How encouraging." Dana commented in a sarcastic tone of voice.

* * *

The party was moving along.

All of a sudden, Terry felt a punch in his left arm. And heard a familiar adult male voice. "Nice ring you got there."

Terry rubbed his arm and turned his head towards the direction from which the voice had came from. Rex Stewart.

Rex and Mareena have been married for eleven years. The couple also have twin eight-year-old sons, Reed and Mason.

Rex elbowed Terry in his right side of his rib cage. "What's the big idea? You don't mention anything about your personal life then out of nowhere we find out that you popped the question from a screen. That's a real class act, Bats. Really classy."

"Dana wanted to keep it to ourselves for a bit. I wanted to honour that request." Terry explained to the taller, man in his late thirties.

Rex looked amused and put his arm around his part-time team member. "That's good. You're learning. You always need to whatever your woman says seriously."

Terry nodded in acknowledgement. "Thanks for the advice." He looked around the gathering crowd. "So, where's the family?"

"We just came now." Rex replied. "Last time I checked they were in the front yard looking at a..." Rex began to realize something. "Oh."

"Something wrong?" Terry asked in anticipation.

"You're going to have to have to come with me for second."

Terry looked at him confused. "Why?"

"You'll see." Rex took Terry outside of the urban villa.

The two men reached the front yard of the living residence. They were greeted by the sight of a woman in her late thirties and long, platinum blonde hair. She was standing in front of a tall tree.

Mareena had appeared to be watching as two young boys were sitting, amused in the tree. The boy with the black hair was Reed, the older twin. Mason, the younger twin, had platinum blonde hair.

"Hm," Terry observed the sight. "So you grab one kid, I grab another?"

Rex crossed his arms on his chest. "I could, but this city's off-limits for us, remember?"

"How could I forget?"

"Boys! What did I tell you about climbing up trees that high? You can't fly." Mareena shouted from a distance.

Reed looked down from the height. "We have to be high up here!"

Mason did the same. "We're birds!"

Rex had a reluctant look on his face. "So, can you get them down?"

Terry nodded. "Sure. Just give me a few minutes."

Rex cleared his throat. "But keep one thing in mind."

"What would that be?"

Rex looked him straight in the eye. "If that mask of yours gets them scared, I'll _scare_ you, myself."

Terry gave a smirk in response. "That sounds like threat."

"Then we're on the same wavelength, Bats. I'll go stall."

"Sounds good." Terry slipped away from the scene.

Rex took a deep breathe. He knew that his sons were alright, but as his kids were quite active. Especially, when compared a majority of other children their age would invest most of their time with electronics. He and Mareena never wanted to be those kinds of parents that would hover over every single detail of their children's lives, yet like most parents would never want to see their child hurt in any way. That goes double for the members of the Justice League Unlimited.

"Hi Dad!" Reed waved looking below.

"Look how high we are!" Mason cheered.

Rex looked up and sighed. "Don't make me have to come up there and get you!"

"Did you find Terry?" Mareena asked in a whisper.

Rex nodded in response.

"But we don't wanna come down yet!" Reed yelled.

"Yeah, we're going to break our record if we keep climbing!" Mason shouted.

"I swear, they get this from your side of the family." Mareena sighed in frustration.

"I know." Rex hung his head low. The last thing anyone would do was to pick up a fight with an Atlantean royal, even more so if that particular family member was your own wife as well as a capable super heroine.

"Did I hear a couple of people trying to break a record?" Batman came to the scene hovering beside the tall plant using his retractable red and black wings and rocket boosters.

"Hi Batman!" The fraternal twins boys waved with open smiles.

The man in the recognizable cowl smiled smally back. 'Good kids'. He glided over to get a better look of their faces, smoothly and slowly.

"So what's this record you're trying to break?" Batman asked nicely.

"We want to climb up _really_ high." Reed answered excitedly.

"Hey, that sounds like fun."

"It _really_ is." Reed replied with enthusiasm.

"Why are you here?" Mason tilted his head to the side, as his face had the look of curiosity written into it.

 _Fingers crossed I don't have to force 'em._ Batman thought for a moment. "Well," he began. "I'm here because your parents are getting a little worried about you two being up this high, especially right now."

The two boys looked at each other simultaneously. "They are?"

Batman nodded.

Reed's green eyes and Mason's blue eyes appeared to have the look of guilt. "We're sorry."

"Hey, don't feel bad, you guys. They aren't mad, it's just don't want you to get hurt. Anyway, I mean you two are at a party and you're wearing nice clothes. Why not settle down and do something inside for a change?"

"Will Mom and Dad not worry if we come down?" The older black-haired twin brother questioned.

"They will. I promise." Batman replied.

"Then we'll go down." Reed's voice followed after.

The iconic cowl displayed a smile. "You two are good kids." He managed to get close enough to and put them both in his muscular arms and with the use his wings and rocket boots to reached the ground without a single shred of difficulty. In the end, he was glad that this little 'rescue' did not require the use of a batarang, nor anyone being a hostage at gunpoint or having the high intensity situation involving a madman having the cruel forethought to throw an innocent person out of a window or bridge. It was a refreshing change of pace for him.

Mareena groomed her sons' hair to check if any leaves or other things had gotten stuck. "Now boys, what do you say to Batman?"

"Thank you." The twins said simultaneously.

"You're welcome."

"See you around, Bats." Rex gave a little smile.

"Sure." He activated his wings and rocket boots leaving the scene.

* * *

The scene from earlier had been observed by more people then originally thought. Specifically from the people being inside the villa.

Terry felt a tap on his shoulder, then he heard a feminine voice. "Hey, Ter. Funny how you magically show up now."

As the future groom rotated himself to find a blonde haired and blue eyed woman.

"Hey Mel. Its been a while." He smiled.

"Thanks for the invite." She smiled back.

"Thanks for the help from before. I know it was a bit last minute." He expressed his gratitude for her assistance.

"My restaurant is a hotspot for Gotham's elite. You're lucky you doubled as a friend to, so I pulled a few strings."

Terry subconsciously traced his finger around the black Tungsten ring. "Thanks again. You know you didn't really have to put on a waitress uniform for when you brought the tray for the ring out."

"You're a friend. It was special. So putting on that uniform wasn't such a big deal. There's wasn't a critic that night anyway."

There was a moment of silence.

Melanie cleared her throat. "You know, you still didn't explain why you finally took the plunge. Did something happen or what?"

Terry rubbed the back of his head vaguely recalling the impromptu visit he had with Amanda Waller. "It was either then or never."

Melanie nodded in acknowledgment. "I remember how that felt like."

"But now, because of your choice to leave the life you had, you became somebody... Somebody with a family." Terry interjected.

Melanie platonically laid her hand on his bulky shoulder. "And because the choice you made, you're going to have one of your own someday."

A soft smile grew on Terry's face. "Someday. Just not right now."

Melanie appeared to have been looking over over his shoulder and gave a small, friendly hand wave.

Terry looked behind in curiosity, find his fiancé standing in between Tim Drake and Dick Grayson.

Dana had a friendly look towards the blonde woman who was the same age as her. "Hey, Mel. I was worried that you weren't able to make it."

Melanie stepped in closer, shortening her distance between her and the bride-to-be. "Just one of the perks of being married to the family that owns the joint. Still it wasn't easy to get."

Dana nodded in acknowledgement. "Tell me about it," she rolled her eyes and pokes at her fiance's notably muscular left arm. "We work in the same building, but I can hardly ever get to him, Even with an appointment." Terry gently glides the fingertips of his left hand on the right side Dana's face, as a form of an apology.

The two women continued their conversation as they left from the forming group, leaving behind the three men.

"Nice to see that you did drop by." Terry shook both their hands.

Although now in his seventies, and recovering from his own surgery to halt the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, Dick was still playing the role as an instructor in aerial acrobatics and gymnastics at his academy.

Tim on the other hand, being in his late sixties, had officially retired from his occupation as a telecommunications engineer, and then accepted an offer to become an adjunct professor at Neo-Gotham University despite that he and his wife Mrs. Drake are financially capable for permanent retirement.

"Well, it was nice to know that you finally popped the question." Dick Grayson patted the younger man's shoulder.

"You really know how to keep people waiting." Tim added lightly punching Terry in the arm.

Terry tried not to blush and lightly scratched his face with his left hand inadvertently showing off his engagement ring.

"Is that ring new?" Dick began to tease the groom-to-be as both he and Tim drew their faces closer, making Terry take a step back.

The engaged man cleared his throat. "It was a surprise. Dana gave it to me that same night."

Tim raised an eyebrow. "Meaning, there were two proposals?"

Terry couldn't help but release a half-smile. "My proposal happened first."

"As it should've." Dick wore a pleased smile on his face.

"Keep her happy McGinnis. You owe it to her." Tim advised. "A happy wife makes a happy life."

"No reminder needed, Tim." Terry replied. He turned his neck slightly to get a proper look at the man who once held the title of Nightwing. "Anything from you?"

Dick casually placed his hands in his pockets. "All I got say is, for someone who really wants to have a guy like Bruce in her life, she deserves all the respect she can get."

Terry felt a smaller, more gentle hand touch his back.

"Do you gentlemen mind if I steal my son away for a while?" Mary McGinnis walked in front of the trio.

"Not at all." Dick moved aside to give the red-headed woman more space. A moment later, he and Tim left the mother and son duo.

Terry had excitement written on his face. "When did your flight come in? I could've sent over a private plane and a limo to pick you up."

"I landed a couple of hours ago, I took a cab ride straight home to unpack and freshen up." Mary wrapped her arms around her oldest son. "I just wished I could've gotten here earlier but I had to get ready."

"What happened at the conference?" The thirty-year-old asked.

"It was alright. There was some bad weather though." The astronomer explained. "Plus, when I landed a couple of days ago, I got the invitation." Mary began to lightly tug on his ear. "Now Terry, since I'm already here, why won't you take the time to explain why on earth you did not tell your own mother you were thinking about proposing? I know raised you better than that."

 _This is going bad._ Terry winced from the raising amount of force being applied on his ear. He clasped his large hands with interwoven fingers wordlessly expressing his discomfort. He closed his eyes hard for a short second.

Mary gasped and suddenly let go. "Is that an engagement ring? It's beautiful." She gleamed.

Terry opened his eyes again. _Talk about lucky._ He smiled and pulled the ring closer to his mother. "It is. Dana suprised me with it. She designed and paid for it all on her own." His heart felt a warm feeling as he then showed her the red coloured inscription reading _Dana loves Terry_ located on the bottom inside the circular trinket.

"I just saw her earlier, but she didn't mention anything about it." Mary wiped her eye when a tear of happiness nearly shed down her cheek. "Try not to keep too many secrets between you two." She winked. "Your father would've been so proud."

"Way to make Mom cry, Ter." Matt his only free arm around his mother while his arm cast was beside Terry's body. "Ah, there's nothing like a family having a moment together."

"If you say so, Twip." The older brother smirked, causing the younger brother to frown a little.

"Terry, don't call your brother that." Mary scoled at him.

"Thanks, Mom." The twenty-two-year-old planted his lips on Mary's cheek. She responded with a gentle, tidy ruffle in his pompadour quiffed hair and stroked her hand on his arm cast.

"Mama's boy." Terry muttered under his breath.

"Your just jealous, 'cause I'm her favourite." The senior college student retorted, then stuck out his tongue.

"This is why your single." Terry talked back.

* * *

Chelsea had to leave the party due to a call she had received from the lawyer. In all honesty, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman was the one of the only businesswomen - aside from Melanie Walker - whom had to leave the party to get back to Deckard's Kitchen to prepare for a possible food critic, that both Dana and Max actually wanted to have present.

"Good news Dana, all of the company business sores are ready to take their leave. So the real party can begin." Max voiced in anticipation.

"Alright Max, I think I waited long enough. You gotta tell me, why is the party here, instead of booking a banquet hall?"

Max's black eyes had a lamenting aura within them. "This house needed to have at least one happy occasion before it gets emptied out."

"Thanks." Dana wrapped her arms around her dear friend.

Max rapidly blinked the forming tears in her eyes to prevent any streaks of salty water to strike down her cheeks. "Hey, just 'cause Chels had to leave, doesn't mean that I'm the one you're stuck with hugging. I'm just upset 'cause my divorcing-drinking-buddy left."

Dana separated herself from the embrace. "I'm just grateful," she smiled. "This obviously isn't easy for you."

Max sighed. "The divorce was a neutral decision, I have my son with me and we're going to move in with my mom until this great paying job of mine can give me some time to look out for another place." She placed her hand on Dana's shoulder. "I'm going to be alright. Even if I am going to end up some statistic."

"But what's your regret? I know you have at least one."

Dana tried to get her to be more open about her friend's feelings.

"Just dragging my kid into this. I wanted him to have a life with two parents... Being a CEO is a tough gig especially with the long hours and all...but being married into military royalty, that was a whole other story."

Dana's look of empathy had vanished once she had unwittingly sounded a small audible gasp as she felt a pair of large, masculine hands cover her eyes unexpectedly.

"Miss me, beautiful?" Terry spoke from behind.

In the spur of the moment, Dana's right elbow had collided with the right side of her fiancé's rib cage.

'Why did I leave my guard down?' Terry shut his eyes and grunted to alleviate the freshly afflicted pain.

"Aw, isn't that sweet?" Max sarcastically remarked regarding the little moment while holding up her smartphone.

Dana placed her hand on top of the affected area. "It was a knee-jerk response." Her face began to turn red from embarrassment.

Terry gave her a soft smirk as he applied pressure with his right hand. "It was a pretty good one." He rubbed her right elbow gently with his left. "Maybe there could be a bruise to."

Max playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh please, the only reason you two can have sweetvmoments like these is because you're not hitched yet."

Terry's brother appeared out of nowhere, standing beside Max. "What's up?" Matt noticed how his older sibling had one of his hands placed closely under his sternum. "Oh, don't tell me I missed it again." The college student moaned.

Max turned to face him. "Well, well, well. If it isn't little Matty McGinnis?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Max, you've known me a long time. Do you always feel the need to say that?"

Max gave off an amused look. "Easy officer. In this house, I'm the law enforcer around here."

"She's not kidding." Lionel interjected.

Max sighed. "This is grown up stuff Lionel. You're going to have to go somewhere else for now, like your room where you impolitely left two very nice little guests." She raised an eyebrow.

Lionel continued to stare at his mother. "Can I have a snack?"

"You just had lunch." His mother leaned in closer. "Where is your jacket, young man?"

Her son shrugged his shoulders in response. "Somewhere in the house."

Max placed her hands on her hips. "Go find your jacket, then I'll give you a snack."

Lionel crossed his arms. "Fine, I'll go get it."

"I'll go give him some help." Dana offered as she led the kindergartner away.

Max moved her head side-to-side before turning back around to face the McGinnis brothers. "Someone needs to keep an eye out for that boy of mine."

Terry and Matt glance at each other and nodded. "Will do."

Max laid her hands on his waist. "The years have been good to you, Matt." She lightly tapped on the arm that was not placed inside his third-dimensional arm cast.

"It's because I'm not thirty yet." Matt responded.

Max retorted the joke with a single flick on the police officer's arm cast. "Mind doing me a favour?"

"What?" Matt inquired.

"Could you go back to your place and grab one of those way retro vid-game consoles?" She requested.

Matt gave a half smile. "I was actually going to ask you if I could step out and get one of them, since there aren't enough VR helmets."

"You were going to ask, but now I'm telling you."

"Gotcha." Matt used his left hand to get his wallet out in order to refresh his mind of how much currency was in his possession at the moment. The college student bit his lip. "Er... Any spare creds for the faithful civil servant?" He asked in reluctance.

Within a moment's notice, Terry took out a card. "A thousand. Keep it all."

Matt hated taking money from anybody, even when his own brother is a very rich man. "Got anything in a smaller amount, Ter?"

Terry slipped the plastic card in into his brother's wallet. "Who said that isn't the smallest amount I've got on me?"

Matt reluctantly nodded and left.

Terry aimed his attention towards his longtime friend and ally. "Taking advantage of a softie?"

"More like taking the advantage of knowing a certified babysitter while the opportunity lasts."

"Spoken like a true executive."

"An _honest_ one." Max smoothed her fingers over her short, black-haired graduated bob stylized hair.

"The only kind I want in charge of the company."

"Ain't that the truth." Max lightly smiled.

"A reason why we're still friends, Max." Terry patted her shoulder.

"That was some scene earlier." She used the pointer fingers to somewhat resemble the long ears of Terry's batsuit. "The whole place went abuzz."

"Yeah, about that... Rex and Mareena's kids were-"

Max cut him off midway "Save it, Mareena explained everything. I'm just glad no one got hurt."

"Same."

"So Company Model, you seem pretty excited." Max tapped on the ring finger of her left hand.

Terry smiled lightly. "I'm not the only one."

"Yeah, Dana's pretty happy."

"So is Bruce."

"Yeah, that old man is _totally_ over the moon. Might have to call Wayne Aerospace to send a rocket to go get him." Max spoke up with a sarcastic tone of voice. "I'll never know him as well as you do, so I guess he is at least kinda happy."

Terry recalled what Bruce had said while trying to make small talk during the drive towards the present location. Then the young man remembered how Bruce commented on how the proposal and informed of Dana's answer of that night. Terry knew that Bruce was feeling happy. The ninety-five-year-old had always wore the same discreet look. Although, even with the very little use of words, and always wanting to cut any conversation too short too soon, Terry could tell that the old man was feeling a little more than just 'happy'. Deep down, Bruce was feeling delighted. Bruce liked Dana. And Dana liked Bruce. 'He's a good actor.' Terry smiled at the thought.

As some time had gone through without any realization. All of the people from the business-side-only of the guest list, the temporary figures with faces had exited the villa, leaving behind only the ones whose faces provided the feeling of sentimentalism in the atmosphere.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading this chapter. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave a message them to my PM inbox. Please leave a review, any amount of criticism is really appreciated.**


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